Definition

Noun: 1. A taxonomic genus of crocodilians: Genus Tomistoma is a genus within the family Gavialidae, containing a single extant species, the false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii). It is characterized by a long, slender snout adapted for catching fish.

Usage Examples

• The genus Tomistoma is represented today by only one living species.
• Fossils indicate that the genus Tomistoma had a wider geographical distribution in the past.
• Scientists study the genus Tomistoma to understand the evolution of gharials and crocodiles.

Advanced Usage

• In taxonomic classification, the name is always italicized: Tomistoma.
• The genus name can be used in a broader ecological context: "The mangrove ecosystem is a critical habitat for Tomistoma."

Variants and Related Words

• Tomistomine (adj): Pertaining to or characteristic of the genus .
  • The fossil exhibited clear tomistomine features.
• False gharial (): The common name for the sole extant species within this genus.

Synonyms

• Taxonomic synonym: There are no direct common-language synonyms for a scientific genus name. In older classifications, it was sometimes placed within the family Crocodylidae.

Related Terms

• Gavialidae: The family to which the genus belongs, which also includes the true gharial ().
• Crocodilian: The larger order (Crocodylia) that includes alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and gharials.

Noun

1. a genus of Malayan crocodiles